VOA慢速英语2018 科学家表示：转基因水稻可以预防艾滋病（在线收听）

Scientists Say Genetically Modified Rice Can Prevent HIV

Researchers say a new genetically modified rice can prevent infections of HIV, the virus responsible for the disease AIDS.

研究人员称一种新的转基因水稻可以预防艾滋病病毒感染，这种病毒是艾滋病的主要病毒。 

The researchers recently published their findings in a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The team included scientists from America, Britain and Spain.

研究人员最近在《美国国家科学院院刊》（PNAS）的一项研究中发表了他们的研究成果。该团队包括来自美国、英国和西班牙的科学家。

The study reports the newly-developed rice produces proteins that attach directly to the HIV virus. This process prevents the virus from mixing with human cells. The scientists say this can neutralize the virus and block its transmission.

该研究报告称，新开发的水稻产生的蛋白质直接附着在艾滋病病毒上。该过程可防止病毒与人体细胞混合。科学家表示，这样可以中和病毒并阻止其传播。

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS or UNAIDS reports that worldwide, nearly 37 million people were living with HIV in 2017. The organization says the largest number of those were in developing countries. Nearly two-thirds of HIV cases are in Africa.

联合国艾滋病联合规划署报告称，全世界有近3700万人在2017年感染艾滋病病毒。该组织表示患病人数最多的是发展中国家。近三分之二的艾滋病病例发生在非洲。

There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS. But there have been major developments in oral drug treatments shown to slow the progression of the disease. Such treatments can also reduce the chances of passing the virus onto others. Researchers have also worked on finding a vaccine.

目前无法治愈艾滋病。但在口服药物治疗方面取得了重大进展，可以减缓艾滋病的发展。该治疗还可以减少将病毒传播给他人的机会。研究人员还致力于研发疫苗。

UNAIDS says new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by about 50 percent over the past two decades.

联合国艾滋病联合规划署称，在过去的20年中，新的艾滋病病毒感染和艾滋病相关死亡人数减少了约50％。

The new study predicts the rice-based method will lead to long-term deployment of the anti-HIV treatment across the developing world. Researchers said the “groundbreaking” discovery is “realistically the only way” that anti-HIV combination treatments can be produced at a cost low enough for the developing world.

这项新研究预测以水稻为基础的方法将促使发展中国家长期部署抗艾滋病病毒治疗。研究人员表示，这一“突破性”的发现“实际上是唯一的方式”，可以以足够低的成本在发展中国家开始抗艾滋病病毒联合治疗。

The scientists say the easiest and most cost-effective way to use the rice will be to make it into a cream to be put on the skin. The HIV-fighting proteins can then enter the body through the skin.

科学家表示使用水稻最简单、最节约成本的方法是将其制成一种可以涂抹在皮肤上的乳霜。然后防治艾滋病病毒的蛋白质可以通过皮肤进入人体。

People in all parts of the world could grow the rice and make the cream themselves, the researchers said. This would prevent the cost and travel required for many patients to receive treatments and medicine, especially in the developing world.

研究人员表示，世界各地的人们都可以种植水稻并自己制作乳霜。这将可以避免许多患者承受治疗和药物所需的花费和奔波，特别是发展中国家的患者。

The scientific team says further testing is needed to make sure the genetic engineering process does not produce any additional chemicals that could be dangerous to people.

科研团队表示，需要进一步测试以确保该基因工程过程不会产生任何可能对人类有害的其他化学物质。

The process of changing the genetic structure of food crops has been debated for some time. Such foods are commonly called GMOs - for genetically modified organisms, or GEs – meaning genetically edited. Critics of genetically engineered crops believe they can harm people.

改变粮食作物遗传结构的过程已经被争论了一段时间。这类食物通常被称为转基因生物（GMOs），或基因编辑（GEs），意味着基因被编辑。评论人士认为转基因作物会伤害人类。